Did you know according to “20 Awesome Facts About April”, “April also only had 29 days, but a 30th day was added when Julius Caeser established the Julian calendar?”
Even though the month of April has been around for thousands of years no one truly knows how April got its name. However, some people believe that the Romans named it “Aprillis.” Also, the etymology behind the word April comes from the verb “aperire” which means “to open.” Most people believe that this came from the season of trees and flowers begin to “open” or bloom.
People that are born in April’s birthstone a diamond, and their flower is either a daisy or sweet pea. The diamond birthstone represents innocence.
One of the most known dates of April is April First which is also known as April’s Fools Day. Even though April Fool’s Day is known all across the country no one is quite sure where this day originated from. Some people believe that it is inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer’s story in “Canterbury Tales” which is also known as “Nun’s Priest’s Tale.”
Some notable historical people that were born in April include Leonardo da Vinci, Shakespeare, and Queen Elizabeth II.
The famous titanic ship hit an iceberg and sank on its first and only voyage on April 14, 1912. On April 17, 1964, Ford unreviled their first Mustang at an outstanding cost of $2,368.
Some interesting “just for fun days” that are celebrated throughout the month of April include: International Pillow Fight Day, Sweet Potato Day, National No Housework Day, Go Fly a Kite Day, and National Sense of Smell Day.
To go along with “just for fun days”, there are also several holidays that are celebrated during the month of April. Some of these holidays include: April’s Fools Day, Palm Sunday, start of Passover, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Earth Day and National Arbor Day.
To finalize, April is a very interesting month based on the different events that take place during the month.
No, it’s not the latest Marvel entry or a $100-million budgeted Tom Cruise flick. It’s called “Cocaine Bear.”
Against all odds, this mid-budget horror-comedy, which exists purely to show, in gory detail, what would happen if a cocaine-addicted bear went on a murderous rampage. There’s not all that much to “Cocaine Bear.” An insane drug dealer throws duffel bags of cocaine out of an airplane above Georgia, and a bear finds the bags before authorities or the smuggler’s associates can.
Murder ensues when a Swedish couple, two little kids playing hooky from school, three teenage hooligans, a drug dealer and his reformed partner, a park ranger and her lover, a mother, two ambulance drivers, and a southern detective converge on the park for various reasons.
Surprisingly, “Cocaine Bear” even manages to squeeze out a central theme amidst the carnage in the importance of parenthood. One father in the story forces his son into the drug dealing business, and the primary plot beyond “A bear does cocaine” is a mother trying to save her daughter in the woods. Even Cokey the Bear is just looking out for her kids, two little cubs also addicted to cocaine, as you find out towards the end of the film.
The movie isn’t flawless (though it is close). It peaks with the ambulance scene teased in the trailer, which occurs about halfway through the film. While the rest of the movie is still fun, it starts to drag a bit. It also lacks much rewatch value. If we hadn’t seen it in a packed theater where the audience clapped every time the bear killed someone, it may not have been nearly as enjoyable the first time.
But the gore. That’s what makes the movie itself.
If you’re not prepared for gore, you should not watch this movie. Blood and limbs everywhere, at all times. If that’s your thing, though, the violence in “Cocaine Bear” is funny and unique. There are also countless little comedic details throughout the movie. The detective is clearly lonely, and he tries to get a dog to help but ends up with a shih-tzu instead of a labrador. He then spends the rest of the movie both upset that he didn’t get a fun dog and sad that he has to leave her behind to go look for cocaine in the woods. And don’t even get me started on the traitor character in this film. That person might have ruined this otherwise nearly-perfect movie for me. At one point, the detective shoots off two of the drug dealer’s fingers: his pinky and his middle finger. How did the bullet miss his ring finger?
Overall, despite the shocking amount of gore and drugs, the movie was aight.
Defiance College Softball took on Albion College in Albion after a battle with the weather. The game started off quietly with neither team scoring until the 4th inning. Albion scored first in the top of the 4th inning off of a single shot home run by Courtney Ellis (0-1). The Yellow Jackets responded in the bottom of the fifth inning when senior Marissa Roberts hit a 2 RBI single into right field, scoring juniors Genesis Brooks and Laney Grimwood (2-1). The Yellow Jackets recorded five hits in the game: Anna Emswiler, Ali Mowen, Laney Grimwood, Amber Krause, and Marissa Roberts each had 1. Roberts recorded two RBIs. Emswiler, Krause, and Kelly Limbaugh each had a stolen base as well. Junior Savannah McCoy spent the entire 7 innings in the circle for the Yellow Jackets. McCoy had 4 strikes out, facing 25 batters. She threw 99 pitches, 63 of those were strikes. Defiance left the game error free.
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Runs
Hits
Errors
Albion (Mich.)
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
3
1
Defiance
0
0
0
0
2
0
X
2
5
0
March 28th – Softball
Defiance College 5 vs Albion College 0
In the second game of the night at Albion, Defiance dominated the game from the first inning. After senior Marissa Roberts and sophomore Anika Craft made it to first and second base respectively, Craft stole 3rd base drawing a throwing error on the catcher allowing Craft to score (1-0). Junior Brooke Silcox followed this up with an RBI single to score Roberts (2-0). Senior Lily Linke then hit a single into right field, advancing to second on a throw, which allowed senior Josilyn Guzman to score (3-0). That was not the last time the Yellow Jackets struck during this game. In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Marissa Roberts singled into center field which allowed sophomore Amber Krause to score (4-0). In the bottom of the 6th inning Defiance rounded out the scoring when freshman Savanah Bergman hit a single into right field that allowed Josilyn Guzman (5-0). The Yellow Jackets had 9 hits in the game. Anika Craft, Marissa Roberts, Lily Linke, and Savanah Bergman each had one while Brooke Silcox and Josilyn Guzman each recorded two. Craft recorded two stolen bases. Anika Craft went the whole 7 innings, recording 10 strikeouts, she faced 26 batters and threw 98 pitches, 64 of those being strikes. Defiance College commited one error in the game.
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Runs
Hits
Errors
Defiance
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
Albion (Mich.)
3
1
0
0
0
1
X
5
9
1
March 28th – Baseball
Postponed – Defiance College vs Terra State Community College
Defiance College Baseball postponed their game with a date not yet determined due to wet field conditions.
April 1st – Softball
Defiance College 10 vs Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 3
The Defiance College Softball team traveled to Rose-Hulman for a two game series on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets started off the game with a big first inning. Senior Josilyn Guzman singled, driving in senior Marissa Roberts, moving junior Brooke Silcox, and then advancing to second herself on the throw (1-0). Senior Lily Linke followed this up with another RBI single scoring Roberts and advancing Guzman to third (2-0). Then freshman Ali Mowen reached first and moved to second on an error, Linke moved to third and Guzman scored (3-0). Lastly, in the first inning sophomore Amber Krause stole second and Mowen scored on a throwing error (4-0). The Yellow Jackets struck again in the second inning when Brooke Silcox singled, moving to second on a throw, then advancing to third on an error and scoring Marissa Roberts (5-0). Then Josilyn Guzman grounded out, scoring Silcox (6-0). Rose-Hulman scored their first run of the game in the third inning when Jadyn Winker hit an RBI double that scored Phoebe Worstell (5-1). The Fightin’ Engineers then scored again in the fifth inning, Nicole Lang hit a homerun scoring herself and Katelyn Sarvis (5-3). Defiance answered in the sixth inning when Ali Mowen hit a two RBI double that scored Josilyn Guzman and Brooke Silcox (8-3). The Yellow Jackets ended the game adding a few more runs to the board. In the top of the seventh Brooke Silcox hit a sacrifice fly that scored sophomore Kelly Limbaugh (9-3). Rounding out the scoring was Josilyn Guzman with a solo shot homerun (10-3). Defiance had 14 hits in the game and several players that recorded multiple hits. Ali Mowen, Laney Grimwood, and Destiny Coil each had one, Brooke Silcox had two, and Marissa Roberts, Lily Linke, and Josilyn Guzman all had three. Roberts, Coil, and Linke all had doubles as well. Josilyn Guzman had the lone homerun in the game. Multiple players had RBIs including: Lily Linke with one, Brooke Silcox with two, and Josilyn Guzman and Ali Mowen each had three. Three stolen bases were recorded by the Yellow Jackets by: Lily Linke, Amber Krause, and Kelly Limbaugh. Junior Savannah McCoy pitched a complete game for the Yellow Jackets. She faced 32 batters throwing 108 pitches with 62 of those being strikes. Defiance committed 3 errors.
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Runs
Hits
Errors
Defiance
4
2
0
0
0
2
2
10
14
3
Rose-Hulman (Ind.)
0
0
1
0
2
0
0
3
6
5
April 1st – Softball
Defiance College 7 vs Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 4
The second game of the day for Defiance College’s softball team proved to be as successful as the first. The Yellow Jackets struck first once again, this time in the second inning. Freshman Anna Emswiler grounded out, but that scored freshman Ali Mowen as well as moved sophomore Amber Krause to third base (1-0). Defiance scored again in the third inning; junior Brooke Silcox singled, then advanced to third on errors, which scored sophomore Kelly Limbaugh (2-0). Next senior Josilyn Guzman singled to score Brooke Silcox (3-0). The Yellow Jackets scored in three consecutive innings when they added to the scoreboard again in the fourth inning. Junior Laney Grimwood hit a solo homerun (4-0). Brooke Silcox singled again, moving senior Marissa Roberts to second and scoring sophomore Anika Craft (5-0). Rose-Hulman tried to rally in the fourth inning. Phoebe Wortsell singled, moving Nicole Lang to second and scoring Katelyn Sarvis (5-1). Then Lang scored on a wild pitch (5-2). The Fightin’ Engineers continued to try battling back again in the sixth inning when Nicole Lang homered, scoring herself and Katelyn Sarvis (5-4). Defiance College answered this run by scoring again in the seventh inning. Anna Emswiler singled, scoring Ali Mowen and moving Amber Krause to third (6-4). Lasty, Anika Craft hit a sacrifice fly to score Krause (7-4). Defiance pounded the hits in this game totaling 14, Marissa Roberts and Anna Emswiler each had one, Josilyn Guzman, Ali Mowen, Amber Krause, and Laney Grimwood each had two, while Brooke Silcox threw in a total of four hits. Anika Craft, Josilyn Guzman, and Laney Grimwood each had an RBI while Brooke Silcox and Anna Emswiler had two. Craft and Kelly Limbaugh each had a stolen base. Anika Craft spent the whole game in the circle for Defiance. She faced 30 batters, throwing 119 pitches with 83 of those falling in the zone. The Yellow Jackets recorded 3 errors.
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Runs
Hits
Errors
Defiance
0
1
2
2
0
0
2
7
14
3
Rose-Hulman (Ind.)
0
0
0
2
0
2
0
4
6
4
April 1st – Men’s Track
Tiffleberg Open
The Defiance College Men’s Track & Field team traveled to Heidelberg University for the Tiffleberg Open. The Yellow Jackets had two men place as well as several others that set personal records. Freshman Marlon Brown competed in the 400 meter dash finishing with a time of 49.82 seconds which captured him a second place finish. Brown also competed in the 200 meter dash setting a PR with a time of 22.62 seconds. Sophomore Gavin Maratea competed in the 100 meter dash for the first time setting a PR completing it in 11.79 seconds. Freshman Landon Sensmeier also competed in the 100 meter dash for the first time finishing it in 12.83 seconds. Freshman Isaac Miler competed in the 200 meter dash setting a PR with a time of 23.39 seconds. Miler also competed in the Long Jump placing tenth. Junior Ron Scott also competed in the shot put event throwing 11.35 meters.
April 1st – Women’s Track
Tiffleberg Open
The Defiance College Women’s Track & Field teams also traveled to Tiffin for the Tiffleberg Open. Senior Lisa-Marie Markau competed in the 100 meter dash setting a new PR with a time of 12.60 seconds earning her second place. Markau also competed in the 200 meter dash placing third. Sophomore Lexi Coward and senior Brianna Snider each participated in the 800 meter run. Freshman Shyla Pemberton competed in the 400 meter dash finishing with a time of 1:05.20 earning her seventh place.
April 1st – Baseball (Moved to Sunday, April 2nd)
Defiance College 3 vs Bluffton University 7
Senior pitcher, Cohen Nies hurls a strike during the matchup with Bluffton.
Defiance College Baseball moved their games from Saturday to Sunday due to weather. In the first game the Yellow Jackets came up just short. The first two innings started off slowly, however, in the third inning Bluffton scored the first run. Jack Maurer hit an RBI single that scored Grant Hovest (1-0). Defiance tied the game up in the fifth inning after senior Alex Morr reached first and senior Dylan King scored (1-1). Bluffton struck again in the sixth inning when Kenny Schneider doubled, driving in Ezra Deitering and Nick Diana (3-1). The Beavers added to their lead in the seventh inning after Jack Towell doubled to score Jake Baumgartn (4-1). They struck again in the same inning after Nick Diana singled to score Towell (5-1). Defiance rallied in the bottom of the inning. After sophomore Tyler Dehan and Alex Morr got on base, Morr stole second then moved to third while Dehan scored (5-2). Junior Mitchell Roever hit a sacrifice fly to score Alex Morr (5-3). The Beavers would seal the game in the ninth inning by extending their lead. Ezra Deitering singled, moving Justin Maurer to third and scoring Jack Towell on a throwing error (6-3). Justin Maurer scored on a wild pitch (7-3). The Yellow Jackets recorded eight hits: Mitchell Roever, Austin Horning, Trent Murdock, Gunner Gregg, Josh Vischer, and Alex Morr all had one, while Hunter Bostater added two. Bostater had the lone double for the Yellow Jackets and Roever recorded the lone RBI. Tyler Dehan, Mitchell Roever, and Alex Morr each had a stolen base. Three pitchers saw action for Defiance today. Starting pitcher senior Cohen Nies had a six inning outing, facing 27 batters, throwing 112 pitches with 68 of those being strikes. The next pitcher for the Yellow Jackets was sophomore Tyler Sickmiller, he pitched 0.2 innings, facing 6 batters, throwing 30 pitches, 18 of those falling in the zone. Lastly, junior Johnny Hammerstein finished the game facing 12 batters in his 2.1 innings pitched. He threw 44 pitches, 21 of those being strikes. Defiance had two errors in the game.
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Runs
Hits
Errors
Bluffton
0
0
1
0
0
2
2
0
2
7
7
1
Defiance
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
0
0
3
8
2
April 1st – Baseball (Moved to Sunday, April 2nd)
Defiance College 4 vs Bluffton University 14
Junior, Mitchell Roever dives back to first base after Bluffton’s pitcher attempts a pick off.
The second game of the day for the Defiance College Baseball team fell short. Bluffton started the game off in the first inning with a three run home run by Justin Maurer to score himself, Jack Towell, and Grant Hovest (3-0). Then Ezra Deitering hit an RBI double to score Kenny Schnieder (4-0). The Yellow Jackets brought themselves within one in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Trent Murdock doubled down the left field line to score senior Austin Horning and junior Mitchell Roever (4-2). Then senior Hunter Bostater singled to score Murdock (4-3). Defiance College struck again in the third inning after Trent Murdock hit a sacrifice fly, plating Mitchell Roever to tie the game (4-4). However, this was the closest that Defiance would come to pulling out the win. The Bluffton Beavers scored the go ahead run in the fifth as well as added a few extra. A string of hits landed in Bluffton’s favor, a single by Ezra Deitering scored Justin Maurer, a double by Evan Houseman, scoring Nick Diana followed (6-4). Then Austin Francis singled to score Evan Houseman and Ezra Deitering, Austin Francis scored on a throwing error (9-4). The seventh saw more hits from the Beavers. Austin Francis doubled to score Ezra Deitering, Grant Hovest singled to score Evan Houseman, and finally, Jack Towell doubled to score Grant Hovest (13-4). Bluffton ended the scoring in the eighth inning off of an Evan Houseman groundout to score Nick Diana (14-4). The Yellow Jackets recorded 8 hits in the game: Mitchell Roever, Austin Horning, Trent Murdock, and Josh Vischer each had one while Alex Morr and Hunter Bostater each added two. Murdock and Morr each recorded a double. Hunter Bostater had one RBI and Trent Murdock had three RBIs in the contest. Three pitchers also saw action Sunday. Starting pitcher sophomore Sam Thombs went 4.1 innings facing 26 batters, he threw 104 pitches 66 of those being in the zone. The next pitcher for the Yellow Jackets, sophomore Jeffrey Varga, contributed 1.2 innings facing 11 batters and throwing 36 pitches, 25 of those being strikes. The last pitcher for Defiance was freshman Ethan Jenkins. Jenkins spent 2 innings on the mound throwing 34 pitches, 19 of those being strikes and facing 10 batters. The Yellow Jackets committed one error.
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Runs
Hits
Errors
Bluffton
4
0
0
0
5
0
4
1
0
14
19
0
Defiance
3
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
8
1
April 2nd – Baseball (Moved to Monday, April 3rd)
Defiance College vs Bluffton University
Due to the weather this weekend the Defiance College Baseball games with Bluffton University were postponed a day. Making the games on Saturday, April first were moved to Sunday and the game scheduled for Sunday has been moved to Monday.
(Next Week April 3rd – April 9th)
*Home Events are indicated in purple*
(Monday, April 3rd) Softball vs Adrian College
Location: AC Softball Field
Time: 4pm and 6pm
(Monday, April 3rd) Baseball vs Adrian College (Schedule Change)
Location: Rutter Field
Time: 4pm
(Friday, April 7th) Baseball vs Manchester University
Location: Rutter Field
Time: 1pm and 4pm
(Saturday, April 8th) Baseball vs Manchester University
Location: Rutter Field
Time: 1pm
(Saturday, April 8th) Softball vs Bluffton University
Location: Sal Hench Field
Time: 1pm and 3pm
(Saturday, April 8th) Men’s Track & Field at the 2023 Landon Bond Classic
Location: Berea College
Time: TBA
(Saturday, April 8th) Women’s Track & Field at the 2023 Landon Bond Classic
You guessed it, Lexie Sparks is a Senior this year, and the basketball team is sad to see her leave. She played in twenty-three games this season and certainly made a difference in the Defiance v Bluffton game. When I asked her to describe herself in one word, she said ambitious. While it certainly applied on the court, she said that it even more in terms of academics. She said that one of her goals was to make the Dean’s list every semester, which she was able to do. She went on to say that the main reason she was here at Defiance College was to get her degree and that athletics was just an add-on for her. It was a way for her to get involved and make friends. She said, “it was an opportunity for me to continue doing what I love.”
With her deep love of basketball, it is no surprise that her favorite memory had to do with basketball. Her freshman year, she went to Transylvania with her team for a basketball game. This was an overnight trip for the team, and she remembers staying up all night playing video games with her friends. The next day, they lost, “but the bus ride was the most fun bus ride, even though we lost by like forty points. We were just having so much fun, and at that point, I just realized that these people were my best friends for the next four years.”
Switching over to academics, Lexie is graduating with a double major in Criminal Justice and Psychology. Every major, no matter which one, has its difficult classes, and they can be challenging to get through. When I asked her how she persisted, despite the challenge, she referenced her future. In order for her to get where she wants to go, she needs to take steps to get there, so she always kept that in mind while studying. She also mentioned her parents and the work ethic they instilled in her. They taught her to not give up no matter what, so that was also a big motivator for her. She told me that she knew that college “ was going to be a challenge and it wasn’t going to be awhile in the park, but I wanted to be able to say that I finished it and was able to get a good job after everything.”
When I asked her if she had any parting words for the campus, both faculty and staff and students, she said that she just wanted to say thank you “for helping me through this experience and also giving me experiences. I’ve met so many great people through this experience and I just want to say thank you. For everything.” Make sure to come to see Lexie at graduation on May 13 and help her and all the other graduates celebrate their success!
A new season of Outer Bankshas finally arrived on Netflix and has wasted no time in jumping to the top of the Netflix Top 10 in the US and across several regions. Before the new season even aired you could see the show creeping toward the number 1 spot due to people rewatching the show, before its return. The show’s return and immediate rise to the top of the charts have created a natural curiosity among audiences who both haven’t yet begun watching the show as well as casual fans regarding whether the new season is worth adding to the watchlist — or frankly if it’s any good.
Outer Banks season 3 is streaming now on Netflix. The question is should you spend your time watching season three or even starting the show? The answer is – absolutely yay!
From the start, Outer Banks has had a way of captivating viewers with its thrilling plot, dynamic characters, and stunning setting. One of the key reasons that Outer Banks is so successful is its ability to keep viewers on the edge of their seats, and season 3 definitely does just that. The past two seasons have left viewers on a “cliffhanger” and made fans wait almost two full years for a new season. The season is full of unexpected twists and turns, and just when you think you know what’s going to happen, the plot takes a dramatic turn. This keeps viewers engaged and invested in the story, which is what every good show should do.
If you thought the twists that came our way in seasons 1 and 2 were wild, just wait until season 3 which turns the crazy up to 11 in the best way possible! The stakes are higher, the relationship drama reaches all-time highs and the season’s overarching adventure is the show’s most ambitious yet! Between new characters, past drama, and so much more, season 3 will not disappoint.
For superfans season four has already been announced and is in the works. But the question is what will happen next, and will it be pogues or kooks?
March Madness is an exciting time of year for basketball fans across the country. For the past few weeks, the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Division I Basketball Tournaments have taken center stage, captivating audiences with thrilling games and unforgettable moments. While both tournaments share the same format and the goal of winning a national championship, there are significant differences between the two, particularly in terms of media coverage, facilities, game locations, and financial responsibilities. In this article, I will examine these differences in depth, shedding light on some of the gender disparities that exist in college basketball.
Media Coverage:
The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament receives widespread media coverage from major networks such as CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV, who pay a hefty sum for the broadcast rights. In contrast, the Women’s Basketball Tournament receives significantly less coverage, with games often relegated to secondary networks (such as ESPNU or ESPN 3) or online streaming platforms. This discrepancy in media coverage has a profound impact on the visibility and popularity of the women’s game, as it limits exposure and makes it harder for fans to follow the tournament. The media coverage also has financial implications, as it affects the amount of revenue generated by the tournaments. The NCAA’s most recent financial report shows that the 2019 Men’s Basketball Tournament generated $867.5 million in revenue, while the Women’s Basketball Tournament generated only $20.9 million. This disparity highlights the need for greater investment in women’s basketball to level the playing field and provide female athletes with the same opportunities as their male counterparts.
Facilities:
Another area where gender disparity is evident is in the facilities provided for the tournaments. The Men’s Basketball Tournament games are typically played in large arenas with ample seating capacity, while the Women’s Basketball Tournament games are often played in smaller venues with limited seating. In addition, the weight rooms provided for the teams during the COVID-19 bubble were vastly different. The men’s weight room was a massive space with numerous machines, while the women’s weight room consisted of a single rack of weights. The discrepancy in facilities is not just a matter of comfort or convenience; it can also impact the performance of the athletes. Playing in front of a large, enthusiastic crowd can provide a boost to players, while cramped or subpar facilities can be an obstruction. The NCAA must work to ensure that both tournaments receive equal treatment when it comes to facilities, providing female athletes with the same resources and opportunities as male athletes.
Game Locations:
Another significant difference between the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments is the location of the games. With the Men’s Tournament, all games are played on neutral floors, ensuring a fair and balanced playing field for all teams. In contrast, the first two rounds of the Women’s Tournament are played on the home court of the higher-seeded team, meaning that lower-seeded teams must travel to their opponent’s gym to play. This system of hosting games can create an uneven playing field, as the home team enjoys the advantage of familiar surroundings and a friendly crowd. This disadvantage can be particularly significant for lower-seeded teams, who already face an uphill battle in the tournament. The NCAA must address this disparity and ensure that all teams, regardless of gender or seeding, have access to neutral playing fields.
Financial Responsibilities:
The significant difference in financial responsibility between Men’s and Women’s Tournament teams is an issue that is widely unknown by many sports fans. While the NCAA covers the travel expenses for all Men’s Tournament teams, the Women’s Tournament teams are responsible for covering their own travel costs until they reach the Sweet Sixteen. This disparity places an undue burden on some college institutions, as they must find ways to cover travel expenses, which can add up quickly. This also creates an uneven playing field, as teams with more resources may have an advantage over those with fewer resources. This financial disparity highlights the need for the NCAA to provide equal financial support to both men’s and women’s basketball programs.
Conclusion:
The NCAA Men’s and Women’s Division I Basketball Tournaments are among the most exciting and highly anticipated sporting events of the year. However, as we have seen, there are significant differences between the two tournaments that highlight the gender disparities that exist in college basketball. From media coverage to facilities, game locations, and financial responsibilities, the differences between the Men’s and Women’s Tournaments are clear and concerning. The NCAA must take steps to address these disparities and provide female athletes with the same opportunities, resources, and support as their male counterparts. By doing so, the NCAA can help to level the playing field and ensure that all athletes, regardless of gender, have the chance to compete at the highest level.
While progress has been made in recent years, there is still much work to be done to achieve gender equality in college sports. By raising awareness of the disparities that exist and advocating for change, we can help to ensure that the next generation of female athletes has the same opportunities and resources as male athletes. As fans and supporters of college basketball, we must continue to push for progress and demand equal treatment for all athletes. Only then can we truly celebrate the magic of March Madness and the amazing achievements of all the athletes who compete in these tournaments.
I would like to introduce you to Angela Sosebee. She is the Director of Marketing and Public Relations. She has been at Defiance College for two years in April. Her favorite part about working at Defiance College is “being able to work with students, faculty, and staff from all over the country, helping them tell the story of how Defiance College has impacted them.” Angela has worked in higher education and nonprofit leadership for over ten years. She used to live in North Carolina, and when she moved to the area, she knew she wanted to work at Defiance College.
Angela was born in Snellville, Georgia, but she spent most of her childhood not far from Defiance in Napoleon, Ohio. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration and her MBA from Tiffin University.
Angela was then asked some more personal questions. Between breakfast, lunch, and dinner, her favorite is a late lunch, around 2 or 3 in the afternoon. She uses Messages the most on her phone because she thinks she texts a lot. When asked the question on who made the most impact on her growing up, she responded, “My parents had the biggest impact on me growing up. They were always supportive and taught me to follow my own interests in life. When I lost my dad to cancer during my senior year of college, it was the memory of his passion for education and my mom’s continual support and encouragement that helped me finish my degree and go on to grad school.” The last question that she was asked was about life advice she would give to the younger generation. She answered, “Find out who you are, not who people want or expect you to be. It’s a long journey, but doing the latter will make the self-discovery process even longer.”
According to Fun Kids Top 10 Facts About Ramadan states, “During Ramandan Muslims fast which means that Muslims don’t eat or drink anything during the hours of daylight.”. This year Ramadan is celebrated from Wednesday March 22,2023 through Thursday April 20, 2023. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. During this time, Muslims will renew their focus on spiritual life and its practical application of daily life. During this month, Muslims also believe that the Quran began to be revelaed to the Prophet Muhammad. In conclusion, Ramadan is a time for Muslims to get together and reflect and pray.
There are a variety of different rules that Muslims will follow during the month of Ramadan. One of the rules is that Muslims cannot eat or drink anything during the hours of daylight; even water should not be drunk during this time. During Ramadan, Muslims are also expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam by refraining from things like: violence, anger, envy, greed, and trying to get along with everyone harder. Muslims will fast during this time to encourage an affinity with those who have little to no food around the world. To wrap it up, there are a variety of different rules that the Muslims will follow during the period of Ramadan.
Just like any other celebration there are several different traditions that Myslims will follow during Ramadan. One tradition is that after the sunset prayer, Muslims will gather in their homes or mosques to break their fast with a meal called “iftar”. This meal is often shared with friends and extended family. The end of the Ramadan fast is celebrated as “Eid al-Fitr” the “Feast of Fast-Breaking” which is one of the two major religious holdiays of the Muslim calendar. In some communities Eid-al-Fitr is a serious celebration where children wear new clothes, women dress in white, special pastries are baked, gifts are exchanged, the graves of relatives are visited, and people gather for family meals and to pray in mosques. In conclusion, there are a plethora of different rules,and traditions that Muslims will follow during the celebration of Ramadan.
March 21st – Softball (4-11) Defiance College 7 vs (5-8) Heidelberg University 4
The Defiance College Softball team traveled to Frann’s Field at Heidelberg University for a two game series on Tuesday night. The Yellow Jackets started off the scoring in the Top of the 3rd inning when senior Josilyn Guzman tripled driving in sophomore Kelly Limbaugh for an RBI (1-0). Lily Linke followed this up with a centerfield double to score Guzman (2-0). Heidelberg battled back, taking the lead scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the third and fourth innings. First Murissa Drown tripled driving in Emma Dean in the third, this was then followed by a Jade Torres single that drove in both Hanna Blasinsky and Halie Monhollen (2-3). In the top of the fifth inning Defiance’s junior, Laney Grimwood homered over the left field fence not only scoring herself, but also junior Riley Alcorn and freshman Anna Emswiler for the go ahead runs (5-3). Heidelberg was not going to go down without a fight, however, in the bottom of the sixth Ellie Tressler hit a double, scoring Meghan Bame to make the score 5-4 in favor of Defiance. The top of the seventh inning had the Yellow Jackets extending their lead, Grimwood singled, scoring sophomore Anika Craft as well as sophomore Jessie Leggett (7-4). This game ended with a 7-4 score in favor of the Yellow Jackets. Defiance had several players recording hits including Ali Mowen, Marissa Roberts, Josilyn Guzman, Anna Emsweiler, and Anika Craft each recorded one. Laney Grimwood and Brooke Silcox each had two, while Lily Linke recorded three hits for the Yellow Jackets. Kelly Limbaugh recorded the lone steal for Defiance. Defensively, Junior Savannah McCoy threw 3.2 innings for Defiance, while Riley Alcorn added in another 3.1 innings. McCoy faced 19 batters and threw 78 pitches, 35 of those falling in the zone while Alcorn faced 13 batters and threw 37 pitches, 25 of those being strikes. The Yellow Jackets only recorded one error in this game.
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Runs
Hits
Errors
Defiance
0
0
2
0
3
0
2
7
12
1
Heidelberg
0
0
1
2
0
1
0
4
5
3
M
March 21st – Softball (5-11) Defiance College 5 vs (5-9) Heidelberg University 3
In the second game on Frann’s Field the Yellow Jackets started off hot, scoring in the top of the first inning. Junior Brooke Silcox singled, scoring sophomore Anika Craft for the first score of the game (1-0). Senior Josilyn Guzman advanced to second on a bad throw, while Silcox moved to third and drew an obstruction call to score (2-0). Defiance struck again in the top of the third inning when senior Marissa Roberts doubled driving in Craft for another run (3-0). A fielding error by Heidelberg resulted in freshman Ali Mowen reaching first, as well as Guzman advancing to third and sophomore Kelly Limbaugh scoring (4-0). Heidelberg rallied in the bottom of the third inning when Meghan Bame singled, driving in Jade Torres and Isabella Fuentes (4-2). Heidelberg struck again in the bottom of the fourth when Jade Torres was walked with bases loaded forcing Gabbie Stallbaum to score (4-3). The Yellow Jackets closed out the scoring in the top of the fifth when Mowen hit an RBI single resulting in Silcox scoring (5-3). In the eight hits for the Yellow Jackets this game Marissa Roberts, Anika Craft, Ali Mowen, and Savannah Bergman all recorded one. The Yellow Jackets offense was led by Brooke Silcox and Josilyn Guzman who recorded two hits a piece. There were four stolen bases in this game Craft, Guzman, Mowen, and Limbaugh all threw one in. On the flip side Anika Craft pitched 6.1 innings for the Yellow Jackets and Riley Alcorn finished out the game adding 0.2 innings. Craft faced 35 batters throwing 134 pitches with 80 of those being strikes, while Alcorn faced 3 batters throwing 16 pitches with 10 of those being strikes. Defiance left this game error free.
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Runs
Hits
Errors
Defiance
2
0
2
0
1
0
0
5
8
0
Heidelberg
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
3
12
2
M
March 21st – Baseball (7-6) Heidelberg University 16 vs (3-8) Defiance College 5
The Defiance College Baseball team journeyed to Heidelberg University on Tuesday night. Heidelberg scored first in the game off of a single by Camden Farley driving in Andrew Pokley (0-1). Defiance answered in the top of the second inning after senior Dylan King stole second, drawing a throwing error which scored sophomore Jacob Hild (1-1). This was followed by a sophomore Tyler Dehan double to score King (2-1). Heidelberg made a comeback in the bottom of the inning after an Andrew Cook homer followed by a wild pitch which allowed Cort Kramer to score (2-3). The Student Princes then scored again in the bottom of the fourth inning. Cook doubled scoring Adam McVicker which was followed by a Kyle Krummen double to score Cook, then Reece McNeely homered resulting in Alex McRandal and Krummen scoring (2-8). The Yellow Jackets scored again in the top of the sixth when sophomore Gunner Greg smashed a solo homerun over the fence (3-8). Heidelberg remained hot going into the bottom of the sixth inning when McNeely sent a solo-shot over the fence, which was followed by a three-run home run by Farley (3-12). Cook rounded out the scoring in the bottom of the sixth for the Student Princes with an RBI single scoring, McVicker (3-13). Defiance’s scoring ended in the eighth inning after senior Hunter Bostater sent a two run homer over the left field fence scoring Gregg (5-12). Heidelberg, however, added a few more runs in the bottom of the eighth. Kyle Mottice reached on a fielder’s choice in which Max McCann scored. Then Zane Mirgon doubled, scoring Mottice. Finally, McNeely walked with bases loaded, scoring Cook (5-16). Defiance recorded 7 hits, led by Hunter Bostater and Jacob Hild each with two. Mitchell Roever, Gunner Gregg, and Tyler Dehan each chipped in one. The Yellow Jackets had a number of guys on the bump for this game. Starting pitcher junior Johnny Hammerstein faced 17 batters in his 3.1 innings pitched, throwing 72 pitches with 41 of those being strikes. Defiance then entered sophomore Tyler Sickmiller into the game who faced 6 batters in his 1.1 innings, throwing 21 pitches, 13 of those being in the zone. Next freshman Ethan Jenkins came in to throw 1.1 innings, facing 10 batters and tossing 24 pitches in which 12 were strikes. Freshman Erik Hecklinger came in next, pitching for 1.2 innings, facing 11 batters and throwing 44 pitches where 23 of those were strikes. Finally, the last pitcher that saw action was freshman Greg Kita who threw 0.1 innings, facing 2 batters and throwing 2 pitches where 1 was a strike. Defiance recorded one error in the loss.
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Runs
Hits
Errors
Defiance
0
2
0
0
0
1
0
2
0
5
7
1
Heidelberg
1
2
0
5
0
5
0
3
X
16
16
2
M
March 22nd – Baseball (1-11) Albion College 4 vs (3-9) Defiance College 1
The Defiance College Baseball team traveled up north to Albion College for a matchup. The first three innings of this game remained scoreless. Albion struck in the bottom of the fourth inning starting off with a Braeden Emery double to score Matt McGann (0-1). This was followed up by an Austyn Stephans single that allowed Emery and Evan Shouster to score (0-3). Defiance scored their lone run in the top of the fifth inning as junior Mitchell Roever reached base on an error allowing sophomore Tyler Dehan to score (1-3). Albion rounded out the scoring with a single by Stephans to score McGann (1-4). Defiance combined for 8 total hits in which Mitchel Roever, Josh Vischer, Hunter Bostater, Alex Morr, Tim Bobek, and Tylen Dehan each had one, while Gunner Greg recorded two. The Yellow Jackets starting pitcher, sophomore Sam Thombs had a four-inning outing in which he faced 19 batters, threw 65 pitches, and recorded 46 strikes. Defiance then had sophomore Jeffrey Varga spend some time on the mound pitching 1 inning in which he threw 25 pitches, landing 13 in the zone and faced 7 batters. Rounding out the pitching for the Yellow Jackets was senior Cohen Nies, throwing the final 3 innings facing 9 batters while tossing 47 pitches, 30 of those being strikes. The Yellow Jackets committed one error.
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Runs
Hits
Errors
Defiance
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
8
1
Albion (Mich.)
0
0
0
3
1
0
0
0
X
4
7
4
March 25th Yellow Jacket Collegiate Open
Defiance College’s Men’s Track and Field team traveled to Cedarville University for the Yellow Jacket Collegiate Open. The Men’s team placed 13th out of 22 teams, while having one individual and one relay team place in the top ten. Marlon Brown snagged a second place finish in the 400 meter dash with a time of 50.65 seconds. The 4×100 meter relay team finished with a time of 51.28 second to place sixth in the meet. The 4×100 meter relay team is made up of Gavin Maratea, Marlon Brown, Isaac Miller, and Ja’Qway Janiver.
March 25th – Women’s Track Yellow Jacket Collegiate Open
Defiance College’s Women’s Track and Field team also traveled to Cedarville University for the Yellow Jacket Collegiate Open. The Women’s team placed 16th out of 21 teams. The Women’s 4×100 meter relay team placed 3rd with a time of 51.28 seconds. The 4×100 meter relay team is made up of Lisa-Maria Markau, Shyla Pemberton, Shanti Elkins, and Hailei Haynes. Lisa-Maria Makau and Shyla Pemberton each ran the 400 meter dash recording a 23rd and 31st place finish respectively.
March 25th – Softball Rescheduled (3-9) Defiance College vs (7-6) Albion College
Defiance College Softball will now take on Albion College on Tuesday, March 28th at 3pm and 5pm due to inclement weather.
March 26th – Baseball (8-6) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 10 vs (3-11) Defiance College 2
Defiance College Baseball traveled to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology for a two game series on Sunday after a slight battle with the weather. After a silent first two innings Rose-Hulman put two runs onto the scoreboard after a homerun by Andy Krajecki. The second run came when Connor O’Connell singled, driving in Ben Christansen (2-0). The Fightin’ Engineers struck again in the 6th inning when C. Couillard-Rodak reached on a fielder’s choice which scored Blake Deckard, after a throwing error Ian Kline scored as well (4-0). Then in the same inning Peter Rogers scored an unearned run after teammate Andy Krajecki hit a ball that Defiance turned for a double play (5-0). The 7th inning Rose-Hulman added to their lead with an RBI single by Peter Rogers that scored Jonathan Oliger (6-0). The Fightn’ Engineers just kept runs rolling in as well, an Andy Krajecki single to score Ian Kline was followed by a wild pitch that scored Peter Rogers (8-0). In the bottom of the 7th inning Defiance scored their first run. Senior Austin Horning reached first on a fielder’s choice and Sophomore Jacob Hild scored on an error (8-1). Rose-Hulman answered this run by adding two more to the scoreboard in the 8th inning. A single by Peter Rogers scored Jonathan Oliger which was followed by a balk that scored Blake Deckard (10-1). The Yellow Jackets scored the last run of the game in the 9th inning, this was off of a double by Senior Dylan King which scored Sophomore Tyler Dehan (10-2). Defiance recorded 7 hits, two of those being doubles. Hunter Bostater, Jacob Hild, Austin Horning, and Dylan King each had one hit, while Mitchell Roever led the team with three. King and Roever each had a double. Tyler Dehan and Roever also recorded a stolen base as well. Defiance College had 4 pitchers see action in this matchup. The first being starting pitcher senior Cohen Nies, he threw 5 innings, facing 26 batters, he tossed 113 pitches with 68 of them being strikes. Sophomore Tyler Sickmiller entered the game next facing 13 batters in his 1.1 innings pitched, he threw 43 pitches with 23 of those being strikes. Next up for the Yellow Jackets was freshman Ethan Jenkins who pitched 1.2 innings, facing 9 batters, he threw 46 pitches with 27 of those being strikes. Rounding out the pitching for the Yellow Jackets was junior Jeremy Russo who pitched 1 inning, tossing 16 pitches, 8 of those being strikes, he faced 3 batters. The Yellow Jackets recorded 4 errors.
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Runs
Hits
Errors
Rose-Hulman (Ind.)
0
0
2
0
0
3
3
2
0
10
15
2
Defiance
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
2
7
4
M
March 26th – Baseball (9-6) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 5 vs (3-12) Defiance College 3
The second game of the two game series with Rose-Hulman the Yellow Jackets put up a valiant fight. Rose-Hulman started off the game strong with a three run homerun in the first inning, when Ben Christainsen sent a ball over the fence to score Andy Krajecki and C Couillard-Rodak (3-0). Defiance drove in a run off senior Josh Vischer’s single and an error to score sophomore Tyler Dehan in the 2nd inning (3-1). In the 3rd inning the Fightin’ Engineers struck again when Jonathan Oliger singled, driving Dalton Busboom in to score (4-1). Jonathan Oliger stole second and drew an error which allowed him to advance to third as Mason Rasmussen scored (5-1). In the 4th inning sophomore Gunner Gregg hit a home run (5-2). The Yellow Jackets scored one last time in the 9th inning when Josh Vischer hit a single to score senior Dylan King. Defiance College had seven hits in this matchup, Trent Murdock, Gunner Greg, Tyler Dehan, Dylan King, and Alex Morr each recorded one hit each, while Josh Vischer added two. Dehan and King each had a double and Mitchell Roever added a stolen base. The Yellow Jackets had two pitchers spend time on the mound in this game. Starting pitcher sophomore Sam Thombs went 6 innings, facing 30 batters while throwing 109 pitches with 70 of those being strikes. Next up on the bump for Defiance was junior Johnny Hammerstein who threw 3 innings, facing 12 batters, while throwing 54 pitches with 34 of those being strikes. Defiance committed 2 errors.
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Runs
Hits
Errors
Rose-Hulman (Ind.)
3
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
9
2
Defiance
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
3
7
2
This Week (Mar. 27- Apr. 2)
*Home Events are indicated in purple*
(Tuesday, March 28th) Softball vs Albion College
Location: Sal Hench Field
Time: 3pm and 5pm
(Tuesday, March 28th) Baseball vs Terra State Community College
Location: Rutter Field
Time: 4pm
(Saturday, April 1st) Baseball vs Bluffton University
Location: Rutter Field
Time: 12pm and 3pm
(Saturday, April 1st) Softball vs Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Location: RHIT Softball Field
Time: 1pm and 3pm
(Saturday, April 1st) Men’s Track & Field at the Grizzly Invite
Location: Franklin College
Time: TBA
(Saturday, April 1st) Women’s Track & Field at the Grizzly Invite
Location: Franklin College
Time: TBA
(Sunday, April 2nd) Baseball vs Bluffton University
The introduction of instant replay in college sports was intended to make the game equitable by correcting missed or incorrect calls made by referees. While instant replay has been a significant advancement in technology for college sports, it has also generated controversy among fans and players. Some argue that instant replay has made the game more accurate, while others believe it has taken away from the human element of sports. I’d like to take this opportunity to explore both sides of the debate in order to determine whether instant replay is truly helping or hurting college sports.
The Case for Instant Replay:
One of the primary arguments for the instant replay is that it has made officiating more accurate. Referees are human and can make mistakes, which can have a significant impact on the outcome of a game. Instant replay provides a way for officials to review close calls and ensure that the correct call is made. This not only makes the game fairer but also increases the confidence fans have in officiating. Another benefit of instant replay is that it can be used to review plays that are not visible to the naked eye. For example, in football, instant replay can be used to review whether a player’s foot was in or out of bounds or whether a ball crossed the goal line. These types of calls can be difficult to make in real-time, but instant replay provides a way for officials to review them and make the correct call.
The Case Against Instant Replay:
Despite its benefits, some argue that instant replay has taken away from the human element of sports. Part of the excitement of sports is the unpredictability of the game, and instant replay can disrupt that. The game can be stopped for minutes at a time while officials review plays, which can disrupt the flow of the game and take away from the excitement for fans. Another argument against instant replay is that it is not always accurate. While instant replay is designed to correct missed or incorrect calls, it can also be used incorrectly. For example, if a camera angle does not provide a clear view of a play, it can be difficult for officials to make the correct call. Additionally, instant replay does not account for the subjective nature of some calls, such as holding or pass interference in football. These types of calls require the judgment of officials, and instant replay cannot always provide a definitive answer.
Final Remarks:
In conclusion, instant replay has both advantages and disadvantages in college sports. It can increase the accuracy of officiating and provide a way to review plays that are not visible to the naked eye. However, it can also disrupt the flow of the game and take away from the excitement of sports. Ultimately, the decision of whether to use instant replay should be made based on a careful evaluation of its benefits and drawbacks and its impact on the overall enjoyment of the game for fans and players alike. Whether you like or dislike the current structure of instant replay, you must remember to always keep the equality of the sport in mind.
